1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an endoscope, and more particularly to an endoscope having a flexible tube portion in which a plurality of bending wires for bending a bending portion are inserted.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, endoscopes have been widely used in industrial fields and medical fields. Some endoscopes have an elongated flexible insertion portion. The insertion portion includes, on the distal end side thereof, a bending portion, and the proximal end side of the bending portion is connected with a flexible tube portion. The bending portion is configured to be bendable by bending operation performed at the operation portion of the endoscope. The bending portion and the flexible tube portion are connected with a pipe sleeve, and the insertion portion including a connecting part with a pipe sleeve is covered with resin and the like.
Inside the flexible tube portion, at least two bending wires for bending the bending portion are inserted, and the operation portion provided at the proximal end portion of the flexible tube portion is operated to cause the bending wires to move forward or backward in the axial direction of the flexible tube portion, to thereby cause the bending portion to bend. The respective bending wires are inserted in coil pipes, and the plurality of coil pipes are provided in the flexible tube portion.
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2007-298815, the distal end portions of the bending wires are fixed to the bending piece in the bending portion, and the distal end portions of the coil pipes are fixed to the pipe sleeve that connects the bending portion and the flexible tube portion, by brazing or soldering.